Turkey call unit

ABSTRACT

A pot-type turkey call has a lid that releasably secures one or more strikers to the device, thereby providing a turkey call unit in which the strikers are conveniently stored and retained until it is desired to use the call. The base of the call unit supports a sound-producing structure that presents a striking surface. A lid on the base is movable between a closed position over the surface and an open position, permitting access to the surface by a striker, and has a top portion spaced from the surface by a sidewall of the lid when the lid is closed to thereby present a chamber between the striking surface and the top portion of the lid. Aligned openings in the sidewall receive and hold one or more strikers upon insertion of a striker into a pair of aligned openings and through the chamber provided by the lid.

This invention claims the benefit of prior filed, co-pending Ser. No. 60/602,112, filed Aug. 17, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates turkey calls used by hunters to attract a turkey-cock.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Turkey calls of various construction have long been used by hunters to imitate a hen and entice a tom to reveal himself. Several types of turkey calls are in common use, including a pot call which produces a sound by stroking a glass or slate surface with a wooden peg, also referred to as a striker. Carbon or plastic strikers may also be used. Although the pot or friction call is preferred by many hunters, the call and the strikers employed are separate pieces and thus may be inconvenient to carry in a hunter's pocket under field conditions. The loss of a striker, of course, renders the call useless.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In an embodiment of the present invention the aforementioned problem is addressed by providing pot-type turkey call which has a lid that releasably secures one or more strikers to the device, thereby providing a turkey call unit in which the strikers are conveniently stored and retained until it is desired to use the call. The base of the call unit supports a sound-producing structure that presents a striking surface. A lid on the base is movable between a closed position over the surface and an open position, permitting access to the surface by a striker, and has a top portion spaced from the surface by a sidewall of the lid when the lid is closed to thereby present a chamber between the striking surface and the top portion of the lid. Aligned openings in the sidewall receive and hold one or more strikers upon insertion of a striker into a pair of aligned openings and through the chamber provided by the lid. In this manner, a striker is secured to the lid until withdrawn therefrom for use against the striking surface to produce a turkey call.

Other advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the turkey call unit showing three strikers installed in the lid thereof.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the unit on a larger scale, shown with the strikers removed.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of the unit of FIG. 2 showing the lid alone.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of the unit of FIG. 2 showing the base and sound-producing structure alone, parts being broken away to reveal details of construction.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the base, the glass and soundboard being removed therefrom.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the unit, the lid being shown in broken lines in an open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring initially to FIG. 1, three strikers 10 are shown installed on an embodiment of the turkey call unit of the present invention. Each striker has a handle 12 from which a wooden rod 14 extends to a termination at a tip 16. Each rod 14 may be of a different material, such as oak, hickory or hedge wood in order to provide different sounds when the tip 16 is rubbed against an exposed surface 18 of a circular plate 20 (FIG. 4) as will be appreciated from the description to follow.

Referring more specifically to FIGS. 2-6, the turkey call includes a circular base or pot 22 having a radially projecting upper lip 24 that presents an annular seat 26 that receives and supports the circular plate 20, as may be seen in FIG. 4. Plate 20 may be composed of etched glass or slate or other material, and presents the striking surface 18 which is stroked by one of the strikers 10 to produce a sound that imitates the hen turkey. The base 22 has a circular bottom plate 30 to which a cross-shaped center support 32 is secured in order to provide a suitable mount for a soundboard 34. As is conventional, it may be appreciated that the circumferential edge of the soundboard 34 is spaced inwardly from the sidewall of the base 22 and below the bottom surface of the plate 20 so that it is free from contact other than by the center mount 32. A number of holes 34 (FIG. 5) in the bottom 30 of base 22 facilitates the passage of sound therefrom when the turkey call is used.

A lid 36 is mounted on base 22 by a flexible plastic hinge 40 and is shown in place on base 22 in full lines in FIG. 6. The lid 36 has a circular edge 42 which fits over the lip 24 of base 22 when the lid is in its closed position as shown in full lines in FIG. 6. An open position of the lid 36 is shown in broken lines in FIG. 6, and in such position the striking surface 18 is fully exposed. Lid 36 has a circumferential sidewall 44 of frustoconical configuration extending from bottom edge 42 to a flat, imperforate top 46 thereby presenting a chamber above the striking surface 18 when the lid 36 is closed. This chamber or space permits the strikers 10 to be retained and carried by the lid 36 upon insertion of each striker rod 16 through a pair of aligned openings 50 and 52 in sidewall 44. As may be appreciated from FIGS. 1-3, three such pairs of aligned openings 50, 52 are spaced across lid 36 and are located along a centerline thereof and equally spaced laterally from the center pair of aligned openings 50, 52. A greater or lesser number of pairs of aligned, striker-receiving openings may be provided as desired. The rod 14 of each striker 10 is inserted through a corresponding opening 50 and out through the aligned opening 52 and held by a friction fit.

It is to be understood, as pointed out above, that the number of strikers 10 secured to the lid 36 may be more or less than the three strikers illustrated herein, depending upon the diameter of the base 22 and the number of different sound effects desired. In use, the preferred striker 10 is withdrawn from mounting holes 50 and 52 and the lid 36 is swung to an open position as illustrated by the broken lines in FIG. 6, permitting full access by the hunter to the striking surface 18. After use the striker 10 is reinserted into the available holes 50, 52 either before or after closing the lid 36. By uniting the strikers with the call, a turkey call unit is provided which holds the operating parts together and may be conveniently kept in a pocket of the hunter's jacket and available for use when an opportunity is presented.

It is to be understood that while certain forms of an embodiment of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto, except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable equivalents thereof. 

1. A turkey call unit comprising: a sound-producing structure presenting a striking surface, a base supporting said structure with said surface facing outwardly, a striker for stroking said surface to produce a sound, a lid on said base movable between a closed position over said surface and an open position permitting access to said surface by said striker, and including a top portion having retainer structure for releasably receiving and holding said striker, whereby the striker is secured to the lid until withdrawn therefrom for use in producing a turkey call.
 2. A turkey call unit comprising: a sound-producing structure presenting a striking surface, a base supporting said structure with said surface facing outwardly, a striker for stroking said surface to produce a sound, a lid on said base movable between a closed position over said surface and an open position permitting access to said surface by said striker, and having a top portion spaced from said surface by a sidewall of said lid when the lid is in its closed position, said sidewall having retainer structure for releasably receiving and holding said striker, whereby the striker is secured to the lid until withdrawn therefrom for use in producing a turkey call.
 3. A turkey call unit comprising: a sound-producing structure presenting a striking surface, a base supporting said structure with said surface facing outwardly, a lid on said base movable between a closed position over said surface and an open position permitting access to said surface by said striker, and having a top portion spaced from said surface by a sidewall of said lid when the lid is in its closed position to present a chamber between the surface and the top portion of the lid, said sidewall having a pair of aligned openings therein for receiving and holding said striker upon insertion of the striker into said openings and through said chamber, whereby the striker is secured to the lid until withdrawn therefrom for use in producing a turkey call.
 4. The turkey call unit as claimed in claim 3, there being a plurality of said strikers and a corresponding pair of said aligned openings in said sidewall for receiving and holding the respective strikers.
 5. The turkey call as claimed in claim 3, wherein said lid is of generally circular configuration and said sidewall thereof is circumferential. 